That night, she learned that her blood test showed that her blood platelet count has dipped to alarming levels. Too low that if it had gone even slightly lower, the effects to her body would have been irreversible. Possibly a coma, OR DEATH. That night Jean was confined in the hospital.

Fidez was not allowed to stay in the hospital, dahil bawal dito ang may bantay sa ospital. She had to stay with some friends who we hardly knew yet at that time. Imagine, a 5 year old child, seeing her mom in the hospital with all the needles and medical equipment around her, and now parting with her mom to stay with people she hardly knew. And all these happening within 2 weeks of their arrival in a foreign land! Walang kaibigan, walang kamag-anak na titingin. I can't imagine how a 5 year old child must be feeling at the time.

LA to AucklandMeantime, tinawagan ako ng ospital sa trabaho ko sa LA. Sinabi ang situation ni Jean. The good news was that it was not leukemia. They determined this after a biopsy test on her bone marrow. The bad news was that they still could not determine the exact cause. Basta ang sabi nila "she's very very sick" at kailangan ako doon para at least merong mag-alaga kay Fidez. Agad-agad naman akong nag-resign sa job ko at nagpa-book ng flight papuntang Auckland.

It was when I arrived at Auckland Hospital a few days later that I learned what Jean had been through to fight her unseen ailment. I learned that Jean was suffering from a blood disorder called TTP, the causes of which are still unknown. This disease was causing clots in her blood vessels, consuming her platelets. The mortality rate if left untreated was 95%. This disease is considered very rare, like only 1 to 3 for every million people are affected by it.

The only cure the doctors knew was through a process called plasma exchange. Para itong blood transfusion. Pero instead of the actual blood, plasma (the fluid that carries blood) ang pinapasok sa ugat mo. Kaya "exchange" kasi, sa isang tube na nakasuksok sa ugat mo pinapapasok ang "good" plasma, at sa ibang tube naman na nakasuksok sa ibang ugat mo, sinisipsip naman ang "bad" plasma. Jean went through this process for days and nights until her platelet count stabilized. Whenever her platelet count dipped, the process was repeated again and again and again and again.

Seeing DeathIt was during one of these treatments that I later found out from Jean how she went face to face with death. She had an episode normally described as a "near death experience". Her body was asleep but her mind was fully awake, like in a vivid dream. She felt conscious of things around her. The doctors, the nurses, all of them she was aware when out of nowhere an old man appeared beside her and his strong hands began pulling her out of bed. The man was big and strong. She knew it was a man because she could see his hands, but somehow she couldn't see his face. The man was trying to lead her to a long hallway, which was very bright and had lots of doors. Jean tried to reach the buzzer's button beside her bed to call the attention of the nurses. But even though she tried as much as she could, she couldn't make her fingers touch the button. It's as if an unseen force was pushing her hands away.

It was at this time, while feeling totally helpless that she began to cry and pray. "God, I'm not afraid to die. What I'm afraid of is leaving my 5 year old daughter alone. She has no one in this place to look after her. For her sake, please don't take me yet". It was after she said this that the man vanished and she regained full consciousness. Later she asked the nurses if they saw a huge man beside her bed and they all said there was no one.

Back to NormalTwo more weeks passed since I arrived in Auckland before Jean was allowed to leave the hospital. Halos isang buwan bago naging normal uli ang kalagayan ni Jean. Every day, then every week, then every month, then twice a year she had to visit the hospital for blood tests and check up. Ngayon awa ng Diyos, once a year na lang siyang nagpapatingin sa ospital and happy to say na hindi na bumalik uli ang sakit niya. Nagpapasalamat din kami at wala kaming kinailangan bayaran sa kanyang pagkaka-ospital. That would have used all our savings and maybe more.

Whenever I think of what happened to Jean I realized how powerless we really are. Advances in science and medicine are futile. Because at the instant when it's time for us to go, there is NOTHING, NOTHING AT ALL, that we or any man could do to extend our stay in this world. At that instant, whether we are a believer or not, all we could do is call out and implore the mercy of a supreme being, whether it be God, Allah, Yahweh or Jesus... and then surrender completely our fates to Him and allow Him to decide for us.

25 Comments:

Ka Uro,As me and my wife has posted din kay kiwipinay - now that she's gonna be hospitalized for an ailment:" For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future." a verse from the bible. Really God is in control. Cheers!

Glad to hear that she's okay now. Imagine if that happened in the Philippines? My Auntie was diagnosed with UTI when she had breast cancer. My sister told she only had UTI but she had an ovarian tumor which needed surgery. My mother was said to be suffering from chronic anxiety when she already had Parkinson's Disease (and unfortunately, complications later caused her demise). I have so much horror stories in this country. Good thing Ka Uro you have migrated to NZ.

But here's praying all's gonna be well with you and your family from here on.

Mabuhay ka at ang iyong pamilya. This is quite heartening, i read ur post just now - my wife & I are seriously considering of migrating to NZ and boy its a tough decision. Leaving everything and all. We're still trying to figure out how to do it though...but just the same may I say that your stories are quite inspiring...

Your story is so touching and enlightening. We are also considering migrating to OZ, NZ or Canada. But i think the fastest and easiest way is NZ. Just like dazed and confused, it is really a tough decision for us too considering we have 3 daughters in tow.Ka Uro, What is the minimum wage salary in NZ? Are engineers and accountants (my wife's profession) in demand in NZ? How many weeks did you spend before you got a job? May mga oriental stores na rin ba dyan? Madami din bang public catholic schools?Thank you very much.rcan

hi rcan and cj,go through the process one step at a time. kaya mukhang mahirap kasi sometimes we think too far off in the future. tapos maiisip mo lahat ng pwedeng problema then you get overwhelmed and discouraged.

one step at a time lang. the thing is if you really want to have a chance of leaving the country kailangan mag-apply kayo ng residency. don't worry kung hindi pa kayo ready once na makakuha kayo ng visa. anyway you have about 12 months (i think) to come over here. the important thing is meron na kayong visa and you have the option to leave the country if you want to.

mas mahirap nga kapag may mga bata. but if one is really determined to find a better future especially for them, lahat ng pagsubok makakayanan.

HI Ka Uro, that's fast! thanks for answering all my queries, it really shows how eager you are in helping your kababayans. We just went this afternoon to an immigration consultant (INS - Immigration Network Services) and they have assessed my qualifications. They think that I have more chances in Canada rather in OZ & NZ. We're not currently employed and we have a small business here in Pinas, that's why. Sa Canada, they just need settlement funds but it will take 50 months to process. By that time baka ubos na pasensya ko sa Pilipinas. Any suggestions/opinions?regards, rcan

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Hi KU,Just read your inspiring story. I praise God and I consider it a blessing to learn from your experiences.

I'm 51 yrs old, a retiree, my wife is 43 and we operate a business here in the Philippines. Our only child, 18y/o is a special child (cerebral palsy).

We plan to work and migrate there in NZ mainly to prepare a future for our son. Plano namin mag-tourist next year sabay hanap ng work if possible. Mechanical drafting w/ CAD knowledge is my strength, I am an Ind'l. Engr. My wife finished caregiving course (BSN-undergrad.).

this happened to me in Los Angeles, i had pneumothorax last 2002, my lung collapsed all of a sudden on my 1st week here as a tourist in Hollywood. i was just walking around sightseeing at biglang di na lang ako makahinga, i thought may bronchitis lang ako tapos when i was xrayed at the hospital, sabi sakin, your left lung is collapsed, looks like u will be confined. nakakatakot kc that night, nilagyan ako ng portable tube sa lungs & i was discharged tapos nung gabi na, i was back at the hospital kc i still can't breath tapos yung portable tube, tinanggal the next day at pinalitan ng pluerovac, it's a big tube(parang hose) na nakakabit sa pleurovac machine, para lumobo uli ang nagcollapse na lang by extracting the air inside kc may na-trapped na air outside your lungs. basta i-research nyo na lang ang pneumothorax.

til now nobody knows why pneumothorax occurs to some people with no history of lung problem coz i was only 24 then. so nakakatakot nga na life & death ka na tapos nasa ibang bansa ka, buti kasama ko papa ko at bf ko. thank God madaming Pinay nurses who kept me company as well. i was strapped to my bed for 3 weeks w/ a tube in my lungs, laki ng bills na inabot($80,000) but free ang medical dito sa US on any hospital(public or private) kung emergency. lalo na at tourist lang ako. i thought i was gonna die. my whole life flashed before me & it made me realize, here they value life kc ginagamot ka kahit wala kang pera unlike sa pinas, u can't afford the best doctors kung wala kang pambayad at di ka tanggapin sa emergency kung walang deposit. so when my doctor here told me they had to monitor me for 1 year, i stayed na. ok naman life namin sa Pinas, i was happy there, magiging singer na nga sana ako sa TV, may CD na ako etc. but then what's fame if when u get sick e mauubos lang sa medical bills. here, life is peaceful & no traffic & no pollution. good luck sa mga nagpa-plano mag-migrate. it will make u a stronger person & u will find the strength & mas makikilala mo stengths & weaknesses mo if you're in a new place bec. you will start from scratch. i don't regret ever staying here in the US kahit nadeny visa ko. it's worth the gamble. God had other plans for me & i gladly took it.

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About

Reflections on life, my past and anything under the sun as well as a journal of how it is to live in Aotearoa, "The Land of the Long White Cloud", which is New Zealand, from the viewpoint of a middle class Filipino family. Mga hinagpis, kakwelahan, ka-homesick-an ng isang Pinoy sa lupa ng mga ibong walang pakpak (kiwis) na mahaba ang tuka.

About Me

tipikal na pinoy workng in the IT industry. pero hindi mukhang nerd (that's what you think, sabi naman ng bruha kong anak). may maganda, mabait at napaka-sarap maglutong asawa at isang napakatalinong (mana sa ina), nagdadalagang anak. i've been in IT since the early 80's (tanda na no?). have worked in Saudi Arabia, then in Cal,USA, before finally settling in Auckland in '96.

Living in NZ

Disclaimer:Information provided here are to be taken as valid only as at the date the post was written. The information may not necessarily be complete, accurate or up to date. Readers are encouraged to check the veracity of any informaton with the appropriate authorities and should not accept anything here as professional or legal advice.